Jeff Theater
4750 N. Milwaukee Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60630
4750 N. Milwaukee Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60630
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I like the tag line on that vintage ad. A “Safe” Place for Your Family.
I spoke to the realtors and they intend to do a partial restoration while transforming it into their offices.
A recent photo showing the intact ceiling can be seen on page 10 of this PDF: View link
I found a vintage interior/exterior photo in a book recently: http://flickr.com/photos/bwchicago/3131793386/
It appears that the building is being transformed into space for a new realty office. Their website is www.bigshouldersrealty.com . The interior appears to be gutted; I couldn’t see inside well enough. But its lineage should be more obvious now.
No, no great loss.
But it was unquestionably the same building.
Examine the Satellite Photos. Comparing to the Sanborn maps that showed the outlines of the building when it was the Jeff, the current building has the same exact footprint and is also single story. It has a clear-span roof that would be necessary for a theater but offer no advantages for offices. Unless someone tore it down and built the exact same thing in its place, it is the same.
I went by this place a few days ago and it looks as if it’s going, as in being demolished, and taking a few adjacent addresses with it. No doubt future Milwaukee Ave redevelopment.
I maintain no great loss. Because, I was never in full agreement that particular bldg still had any part of the old JEFF Theatre still intact. Really, I scrutinized up close front and rear (not inside I admit), and believe it’s entirely post-JEFF construction. Or at least it was. Sorry.
Recent photos of this theatre are HERE
My earlier description is inaccurate. The building in question is actually this one: LINK
The Jeff is still listed in the 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook. I believe this is the year that it closed according to the book ‘Historic Movie Theatres in Illinois 1883-1960’ by Konrad Schiecke.